Portable tying device



May 19,, 1953 c. E. YOUNG 2,633,714

PORTABLE TYING DEVICE Filed Nov. 2e, 1949 1'6 CZ EY g GE; 3

Patented May 19, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PORTABLE TYING DEVICE Clayton E. Young, St. Joseph, Mich. Application November 26, 1949, Serial No. 129,639

17 Claims.

This invention relates to a small, light weight, hand-operable tying device, to facilitate the tying of grape and other vines, as well as vegetables, flowers, shrubs, and other vegetation, and, in fact, anything requiring typing in a similar manner to wires or other supports.

The principal object of my invention is to provide:

(1) An improved tying device adapted for applying a tie in the form of a self-closing, inexpensive but durable, plastic C-shaped loop or ringlet-shaped tie, the ends of which, when the tie is caused to embrace the vine and wire, tend of themselves to curl or coil closely inside one another for a tight hold, these ties being supplied in strips with short severable connecting webs therebetween, and

(2) An improved tying device comprising a combination tie magazine, dispenser, and applicator in the form of a light portable hand tool in or on which the ties are fed in the strip form, step by step, to the discharge or dispensing end of this hand tool automatically as the pair of scissors-like holding and operating handles of the tool are closed by hand pressure, once for each tie dispensed, both to advance the strip a step and to cut the endmost tie from the strip immediately after its application to the vine and supporting wire or the like, the handles being both spring-returned thereafter to starting position ready for the next operation.

The one handle operates a feed mechanism, and the other handle operates a shear blade to cut off the tie projecting from the tool. The normally closed ties on the strip are spread open by sliding the strip endwise over the hollow conical-shaped body or frame member of the hand tool from the small end toward the dispensing end, this cone member being open longitudinally on the bottom so as to permit placing the same astridethe wire or other support at the point where the vine or other vegetation to be fastened extends crosswise of the support, thus enablin proper positioning of the tie in each instance for good fastening. The split cone member is made of sheet metal for lightness and economy and has integral extensions on opposite sides of the open large end serving as supports for the operating handles and feed mechanism.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which- Fig. 1 is an end view of a tool made in accordance with my invention, looking at the dispensing end that is on the right hand side in Figs. 2 and 3;

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of Fig. 3;

Fig. 3 is a side view of the tool showing it in position astride a wire and overlying vine, as at the conclusion of a tying operation, one of the ties thus applied being shown to the right of the tool, and t Fig. 4 is an end view of one of the C-shaped ies.

The same reference numerals are applied to corresponding parts in these two views.

Referring to the drawing, the reference numeral ll designates one of the strips of plastic ties, made in accordance with my invention, and 12 the longitudinally split, conical-shaped, hollow sheet metal body or frame member of the hand tool of my invention, over the small end of which the plastic strip H is adapted to be slipped to spread the c-shaped ties H of which the strip is composed. .In that way, the ends of the ties are spaced far enough, as appears in Fig. 1, when they reach the large end of frame 12, to enable easily straddling the wire 13 and vine l 4, as shown in Figs..2 and 3. Hence, the open side l5 of the large end'of frame l2 can be laid astride the wire it and placed adjacent a portion ofthe vine l4 overlying the wire to be fastened with a tie I I, so that the endmost tie can be slipped over the vine andwire to fasten the two together, the tie ll thus applied being then cut from the strip H, at the conclusion of the same operation of the 'tool inwhich the tie isdispensed and applied, as will soon appear. The ties H, immediately upon passing the large end of frame l2, close as the ends curl or coil closely inside one another, as shown in Fig. 4, under the tension inherent in the plastic material, and, therefore, these ties afford a tight enough hold for the purpose intended. Also, it is apparent that the plastic material of the ties is well suited for the present purpose, it being substantially unaifected by moisture and weather and also retaining its resilience indefinitely, and being, therefore, free to expand radially as the growth of the vine may require and, hence, constitute no hindrance or source of harm to the vine.

The ties II are connected by short webs It to form the strip II, and the web behind the endmost tie projected beyond the end of frame 12 is arranged to be out through by a knife blade I! on handle 18 at the end of the forward feed movement of strip II. The feed movement is obtained by operation of the other handle l9,

the two handles l8 and 19 being pivoted, as at 20, on opposite, sides of a lateral extension 2! of the large end of the frame, and the handle l9 beingoperatively connected with a feed. disk 22 .25 which is mounted for oscillation, as at 23, between car projection 2 on extension 2!, and a lateral extension 25 on the diametrically opposite side of the large end of frame i2 from extension 2i. The disk 22 has a radial notch 26 in the periphery thereof into which a lug 2i projecting laterally from the inner end of handle i9 extends so that the disk 22 is arranged to be turned in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 3, by closing ordownward movement of the gripped outer end of said handle, whereby pawls 23 pivoted on opposite sides of disk 22 and urged by springs 29 toward engaging in the space between two adjoining ties in strip I l, on opposite sides of the connecting web it, are moved to the right as viewed in Fig. 3 to feed the strip 1 I forward enough for the dispensing of one tie H the feed movement beingpositively limited by engagement of a stop pin 30 on disk 22 on the flat top surface of the horizontal wall 3| that connects the car 2 with extension 2!. A coiled spring connected at one end to frame 12 and at the other end to handle i 8, as shown inFig- 1, resists oscillation of this handle with. substantially greater resistance than that with Which a V-shaped wire spring (33, anchored at its opposite ends on handles it and is, resists oscillation of handle It. As a result, when the operator, grasping the tool by these two handles,

closes his grasp, the handle 28 at first stands-still and'handle i9 swings downwardly against action of spring 33 alone to feed the strip it forward, and then, when pin it limits further movement of handle it, handle it is raised against action of both springs 52 and 33 so asto cut off the extended end of strip H, andthus leave the dispensed tie H on the wire l3, fastening vine i l thereon, as showninFig. 2. Upon release of the handles, or ratherrelease of closing pressure thereon, the springs return the handles to starting position, thereby resetting pawls 28 for the next feed.

In operation, the user purchases strips II in quantities suflicient for the work to be done and applies the strips. one after another onto frame 12, threading the small end into the closed coils formed by the ties H in each strip, so asto open up these coils more and more as the strip slides forward toward the large dispensing end of the frame. lhere the pawls .28 areengaged between the second and third endmost ties l l and the strip is thereafter fed forward step by step by oscillation of handle 89, the latter working the disk 22 through about 50 in each full stroke,

as limited by pintil, the feed movement thus given strip ii beingjust enough for the dispensing of one tie i 'The tool is first placed in position over wire 93 where the vine I l crosses, the wire and vine entering the open side lb of the large end of frame 52. Then handles l8 and it are closed to feed the strip H forward and cause the dispensed endmosttiel I to embrace and coil closely around the wire and vine, whereupon, at the end of the closing movement of the handles, the blade I? cuts through web it severing the connection between the applied tie ll and the strip ll. When closing pressure is relieved, the handles return to normal position underaction of springs 32 and 33, and in this movement disk 22 is returned also to starting position, thereby engaging pawls 23 behind the next tie in the strip, and the tool is ready for the next operation.

It is believed the foregoing description conveys a good understanding of the objects and ad- 'through and being also adapted to accommodate in likamanner a wire on which the vine is to be fastened,'said strip having uniformly spaced par allel slots provided in opposite sides thereof, defining therebetween. the body portions of a plurality of C-shape'd tie portions that are adapted to, be used as so many separate vine ties when they are cut from the strip, there being only narrow connecting web portions left by said slots between the middle portions of adjoining ties in the strip, whichweb portions are adapted to be out through easily, said tying device comprising agenerally conical-frame over which said strip is adapted to to be slipped endwise from the small endoiithecone tospread open 'the curled up tie portions thereof, at least the large end of said frame being open. on one side diametrically opposite .where the web portions of the strip slipped over said frame .ar-ejlocated and adapted .toreceive thereina portion'of, a vine and a sup- -.porting wire or other element therefor.

2..A tying device adapted for applying vine tyingmaterial in thefor-m of an elongated G- section strip. of resilient flexible sheet material having -an inherent tendency to curl up about an. axis extending longitudinally relative to said strip, said strip, having uniformly spaced parallel slotspr'ovidedinopposite sides thereof, defining therebetweenthe body portions of a plurality of G-shaped tie portions that are adapted to be used as so many separate vine ties when they are cut'from the strip, there being only narrow connecting web portions left by said slots between the middle portions of adjoining ties in the strip, which Web portions are adapted to be cut through easily, said tying device comprising a generally conical frame over which said strip is adapted to be slipped endwise from the small end of the cone to spread open the curled up tie portionsthereof, at least the large end of said frame being open on one side diametrically opposite where the web portions of the strip slipped over said frameare located and adapted to receive therein a portion of a vine and a supporting wire or other element therefor, and manually operable cutting means on the large en'dof said conical frame for severing the connectingwebbetweenthe endmost tie'portion and the rest of the strip whensaid endmost tie portion is slipped pastthe large end of said'conical frame.

3.,A tying device adapted for applying vine tying fmaterial in the form of an elongated C:- sectioh strip 'of resilient flexible sheet material having an, inherent'tendency to curl up about-an axis extending longitudinally relative to said strip, said strip having uniformly spaced parallel slots provided opposite sides thereof, defining therebetween the body portionsofaplurality of c-rshaped tie portions that are adapted to be used, as so many separate vine ties whenthey are out from the strip, there. being only narrow, connecting web portions left by said slots between the middle portions of'adjoining ties in the strip,

which web portions are adapted to be cut through easily, said tying device comprising a generally conical frame over which said strip is adapted to be slipped endwise from the small end of the cone to spread open the curled up tie portions thereof, at least the large end of said frame being open on one side diametrically opposite where the web portions of the strip slip'ped over said frame are located and adapted to receivethe'rein a portion of a-vine and a supporting wire or other element therefor, manually operable cutting means on the large end of saidconical frame for severing the connecting web between the endmost tie portion and the rest of the strip when said endmost tie portion is slipped" past therlarge end of said conicalframe, and stri'pfeeding means interconnected with said manually operable cutting means so that the strip is first fed forward and then the endmost tie portion projected beyond the large end of saidconicahframe is out 01f. a 1 J 4. A tying device adapted for applying vine tying material in the form of an elongated 0- section strip of resilient flexible sheetmaterial having an inherent tendency to'curl up about an axis extending longitudinally relativeto said strip-said strip having uniformly spaced parallel slots provided in opposite sides thereof, defining th'erebetween the, bodyportions of a plurality of C-shaped tie portions that are adapted to be used as so many separate vine ties when they are out from the strip, there being only narrow connecting web portions left by said slots between the middle portions of adjoining ties in the strip, which web portions are adapted to be cut through easily, said tying device comprising a generally conical frame over which said strip is adapted to be slipped endwise from the small end ofthe cone to spread openthe curled-up tie portions thereof, at least the large end of said frame being open onone side diametrically opposite where the web portions of the strip slipped over said frame are located and adapted to receive therein a portion of a vine and a supporting wire or other element therefor, apair of handles adapted to be grasped in one hand, like the handles of-a pair of shears, and pivotally mountedin assembled relation to the large end of said frame, cutting means operable by movement of one of said handles to sever the endmost tie portion from said strip when it has been projected beyond the large end of said frame, and step by step feed means operable in timed relation tosaid cutting means by movement of the other of said handles and arranged to feed the strip forward a step equivalent to the length of, one tie portion before said cutting means is operated. i

5. A tying device adapted for applying vine tying material in the form of an elongated 0- section strip of resilient flexible sheet material having an inherent tendency to curl up about an axis extending longitudinally relative to said strip, said strip having uniformly spaced parallel slots provided in opposite sides thereof, defining therebetween the body portions of a plurality of C-shaped tie portions that are adapted to be used as so many separate vine ties when they are cut from the strip, there being only narrow connecting web portions left by said slots between the middle portions of adjoining ties in the strip, which web portions are adapted to be cut through easily, said tying device comprising a generally conical frame over which said strip is adapted to be slipped endwise from the small end of the cone to spread open the curled up tie portions thereof,

'at least the large endof said frame being open on one side diametrically opposite where the web portions of the strip slipped over said frame are located and adapted to receive therein a portion of a vine and a supponting wire or other element therefor, and combined strip feed means and tie cut-off means manually operable in timed relationshipto one another relative to the large end of said frame, so that the strip is fed forward enough to project one tie portion from the end of said frame and then the tie portion so projected is severed from the strip.

6. A tying device as set forth in claim 2, wherein said conical frame is formed from a piece of sheet metal, said piece having an extension on one edge portion thereof at the large end of the cone providing a support, said manually operable cutting means comprising a blade member pivoted on said support for oscillation in a plane crosswise relative to the large end of said'frame.

7. A tyingdevice as set forth in claim 3, wherein said conical frame is formed from a piece of sheet metal, said piece having an extension on one edge portion thereof at the large end of the coneproviding a support, said manually operable cutting means comprising a blade member pivoted on said support for oscillation in a plane crosswise relative to the large end of said frame, said manually operable cutting means and strip feeding means both comprising handle members pivoted on said supportfor manual operation.

8. A vine tying device comprising an elongated frame member tapered in form and of G-shaped section from end to end, whereby it is adapted to straddle, at least at the large end, a vine and a wire or other support onto which the vine is to be tied, said frame member being adapted to support thereon a self-closing resilient tie of C-shaped form slidable over the frame from the small end to and over the large end, whereby it is spread enough in passing over the large end of said member to embrace the vine and thewire or other element before closing again under an inherent tendency to contract to a smaller diameter. i i

9, -A vine tying device comprising an elongated frame member tapered in form and of C-shaped section from end to end, whereby it is adapted to straddle, at least at the large end, a vine and a tied, said frame member being adapted "to support thereon a strip of self-closing resilient ties of C-shaped form slidable over the frame from the small end to and over the large end, whereby they are spread enough to embrace the vine and the wire or other element before closing again under their inherent tendency to contract to, a smaller diameter, and means for cutting theties from the strip comprising a blade mounted for movement in shearing relation to the large end of the frame.

10. A device as set forth in claim 9 including means for feeding the strip endwise relative to the frame toward the large end.

1'1. A tying device of the character described, comprising an elongated frame member of gradually enlarged form toward one end and C-shaped in section at least at the large end, whereby it is adapted to straddle the article to be operated upon, said frame member being adapted to support thereon a strip of self-closing resilient ties of C-shaped form slidable on the frame member toward and over the large end, whereby the ties are spread enough to embrace the-frame toward the'large end and'in-a'predetermined timed relationship with the'ope'ration 'of said blade.

'13. A tyingdevice of the character described,

comprising an elongated frame member of gradually enlarged form toward one'end and Cshaped insection at least at: the large end, whereby it is adapted to straddle "the article to be operated upon, said framemember being adapted to support-thereon a strip'of self-closing-resilient ties of C-shaped form slidableon the frame member toward and over'the largeyend, whereby the ties are spread enoughto embrace the aforesaid article before closing again under their inherent tendency to contract to a smaller diameter, a

manually operable handle oscillatably --mounted relative to the large-end of said frame member and operating a blade in shearing-relation to said end, and another'manuall-y-operablejhandle normally disposed in acute angle relationship to and adjacent the first handle oscillatably mounted relative to the large end of said frame member and connected to operate means for feeding the strip endwise relative to the frame member toward the large-end and in a predetermined timed relationship with-the operation of said blade. v

14. A device as set-forth in'claim 13, including a-stop forlimiting movement-f thestrip feeding means,-a first spring means interconnecting said handles to resist closing'of the handles and acting to return-said handles to their normal acute angle relationship, and a second spring means acting between the first handle and the frame member tending to resist closing movement of the handles and'acting to return the first handle to its starting position.

15. A device of the character described, comprising a generally conical tubular frame, the large end of which is open lengthwise on one side and is adapted for entry therein of a length of vine, such as a grape vine, and a supporting wire, leaving the small end of the cone in radially spaced relation to the wire to permit threading onto the small end a vine tying ringlet that is adapted. to be spread open by movement endwise of said frame to receive the vineand wire when passed over the large end of said frame.

16. A device of the character described, comprising a generally conical tubular frame, the large end of which is open lengthwise on one side and is adapted for entry therein of a length of vine,-'-'such"as'a'grapevine, and supporting wire, leaving the small end of the cone in radially spaced relation to the wire to permit threading .onto thexsmallend a vine tying ringlet that is 'adaptedto be spread open by movement endwise of said frame to receive the vine and wire when passed over the large end of said frame, and manually operable cutting means on the large end of saidframemovable in shearing relation to the end surface.

'17. A device of the character described, com- .iprising a generally conical tubular frame, the

large end of which is open lengthwise on one side and is'adapted for-entry therein of a length of vine, such as a grape vine, and a supporting wire, leaving the small end of the cone in radially spaced'relation to the wire to permit threading onto the small end a vine tying ringlet that-is adapted to be spread open by movement endwise of said frame to receive the vine and :wire when passed over the large end of said frame, manually operable cutting means on the large end of said frame movable in shearing relation to the end-surface, and feeding means interconnected with said cutting means to project CLAYTON E. YOUNG.

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